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The Strange, Beautiful and Powerful World of Microbes
The Strange, Beautiful and Powerful World of Microbes
Imagine the weight of biomass of E.coli after 24 hrs under optimal growth?
Never underestimate the
power of a Microorganism.
Microorganisms, just like God cannot be seen through
naked eye but we can feel their impact on us in various
ways.
Though only 3% of the total microbial population are
harmful to the humans.
Without knowing, we are getting their help from the
historic days eg. souring of milk (dahi), pickels, jams,
dosa and idly making, wine production etc.
Microbes are always at Work
Mind it
contd
(Omnipresent).
On Ice: Some bacterial species live in the ice of glaciers and others
have often found in the snows of the North and South poles at -17
and -85C.
Contd
Sahara desert
Life in the extremes
Fast Movers: Some bacteria can move by flagella that enable them to
obtain speeds as high as 0.00017 km/ hr. This may not seem very fast,
but remember that we are talking about very small organisms. They
are travelling at about 50-60 body lengths/ sec which is equivalent to
a 6 ft tall man running at 100 m/ sec, 9 times faster than the world
record. Cheetahs, are the fastest animals on land but even they only
move at about 25 body lengths/ sec.
Postulated Mars-Biosphere
Mars-Climate and Life
Bacteriophages bacteria-eaters,
viruses that use bacteria to multiply
In the 1990s, bacteriophage research became an alternative
for scientists worried about antibiotic resistance.
Researchers in America followed the example of scientists in
Western Europe who were treating patients with
bacteriophages and obtaining great results.
When antibiotics don't work for a bacterial infection, doctors
can use bacteriophages to kill the bacteria. Although ironic, a
virus can make us feel better!
Microbes enables cows to eat grass?
o Microbes living in the rumen of the cow are
responsible for the breakdown of the carbohydrate
cellulose of plants.
o The cow lacks the enzymes to break down
carbohydrates.
o Without microbes and their enzymes, ruminants
would not be able to derive
any energy or nutrients
from a diet of grass.
Microbes have a built-in compass?
Aquatic, anaerobic bacteria called magnetotactic
bacteria find their way around by using the attraction
from the earth's magnetic field.
When placed near a magnet, they are attracted to the
magnet's northern pole because the bacteria make
magnetic particles which contain iron.
When lined-up, the particles make a long magnet that is
used by the bacteria as a compass.
It is this built-in compass that enables the bacteria to
find its way down to the deep, oxygen-free parts of its
aquatic habitat.
Diamonds are made from dead bacteria???
Carbon, the main component of most diamonds, usually
contains an isotope of light carbon (12C), which is utilized by
some living organisms.
Therefore, eclogitic diamonds with large amounts of the
isotope 12C, are believed to have an organic origin.
These were formed from carbon near hydrothermal vents
which was also utilized by the bacterial communities near
the vents.
Thus through time, heat and pressure were able to turn the
carbon along with the bacterial colonies into diamonds.
"So, those sparklers of yours may just be clumps
of billion-year-old bacterial corpses"
Microbial Jugnu:
Bacteria that emit visible light?
Lightning bugs make light, but interestingly enough, bacteria
produce light in basically the same process called
bioluminescence.
Luciferase - uses molecular oxygen and a protein that has a
particular vitamin FMNH2 attached to it.
Luciferase - causes oxidation reaction to occur between
oxygen and vitamin leading to the conversion from FMNH2 to
FMN.
As this occurs, luciferin emits visible light!
The color of light (orange, yellow, yellow-green, or blue-green )
depends on the kind of luciferase and amount of oxidation of
the vitamin attached to the luciferin.
Enzymes that bacteria use to break down dead,
chilled whales may be used in cold-water detergents?
Some fossils are 3.5 billion years old, meaning that they
were formed only one billion years after the creation of
the Earth indicating that microbes are the earliest forms
of life on Earth.
There's a "Sleeping Beauty" story
for bacteria?
In May 1995, scientists were the prince as they revived
25-40 million year-old bacteria from the stomach of a
bee that was preserved in tree sap.
It was this event that led to the notion of Spielberg's
Jurassic Park, where dinosaurs were created after
their DNA was extracted from mosquitoes trapped in
tree sap the same way.
The dinosaurs, however, were the ones who took the limelight
away from the bacteria on the movie screens
How Does Salmonella Get
Inside Chicken Eggs?
The bacterium actually lives in the feces of chicken.
Because chickens sit on their eggs, even before they are collected
for consumer purchases, the eggs may be subjected to the
bacterium.
It was found that S. enteritidis could actually penetrate the hard
outer shell of the egg and live inside the yolk, where it can
reproduce.
The bacterium could infect hens' ovaries, and contaminate the
egg before it even developed a shell.
Infected rats make easy cat snacks
Toxoplasma gondii, a parasitic infection in rats, alters their
natural behaviour and makes them easy prey for cats.
Toxoplasma gondii is found in about 35% of rats but prefers to
live in cats.
It ensures its return to its favourite host by affecting the brains of
the normally cautious rats, making them outgoing and active and
an easy meal for a hungry cat.
Rats can usually detect subtle changes in their environment. It
makes them very hard to trap or poison but this parasite
overrides the innate response - they almost taunt the cats in a
sense (remember Tom n Jerry ???).
Caught Dirty-Handed!!!
When was the last time you washed your hands?
Did you use soap?
What have you done since you washed?
Have you eaten, put your fingers in your mouth or touched
someone else?
There are millions of microbes on your hands. Most are
naturally occurring and harmless. But some may be disease-
causing germs. Hand washing with soap lifts off those
microbes and rinses them away.
Observations in public restrooms reveals what?????
Bacteria can help give your jeans
the right fade
Alkalothermophilic Thermomonospora
produces enzyme cellulase, which when
mixed with a coarse denim cloth reduces its
hairiness and makes it softer and lighter.
It gives same appearance as a stone wash,
causes no damage to drums of washing
machines by preventing wear and tear of the
material.
Finish can be controlled to desired level by
controlling the amount of enzyme.
Bacteria can act as insecticides?